Bearwallow Beast run, festival is Sunday

Spectators gather at the finish line atop Bearwallow Mountain for last year's Bearwallow Beast race.

KATIE RICHARDS/ SUBMITTED PHOTO

From staff reports

Published: Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 10:55 p.m.

Arden's Aaron Saft, owner of Foot Rx and a past winner of the Morris Broadband Half Marathon at DuPont State Forest, headlines this year's runners who will be competing in Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy's Bearwallow Beast Trail Run on Sunday at Bearwallow Mountain.

Spectators gather at the finish line atop Bearwallow Mountain for last year's Bearwallow Beast race.

KATIE RICHARDS/ SUBMITTED PHOTO

Other elite runners expected to participate are Peyton Hoyal and former North Henderson High standout Shiloh Mielke, who finished runner-up in last year's race.

Asheville's Matt Morse won last year's race in a time of 23 minutes, 8 seconds, and Mielke was close behind with a time of 24:47. In third place last year was Hendersonville's David Workman, who won this year's Morris Broadband Half Marathon at DuPont on April 20.

Close to 400 runners are expected to compete on Sunday.

The 5K run is also part of the Bearwallow Beast Festival, which will feature local food and beverages and live local bluegrass music by Brushfire Stankgrass, which will be performing atop Bearwallow Mountain at the finish line.

Admission to the festival is free. Food vendors will be Sweet Monkey Bakery & Gypsy Queen and local beers by Sierra Nevada and Southern Appalachian Brewery. Festival-goers are asked to bring proper ID to purchase beer and cash, check or credit card to purchase raffle tickets, food and Bearwallow Beast apparel.

The festival will begin at 1:30 p.m., and the race will start at 2. Brushfire Stankgrass will begin performing at 2:30 p.m. and will play throughout the race. The Kids Fun Run will start at approximately 3:20 p.m.

The trail for the 5K race gains 1,400 feet in elevation and is a mix of pavement, gravel and single-track trail. The final 600 feet of gain comes in the final ¾ mile before the finish line.

In its first year of running last year, it was voted one of the three best trail races in Western North Carolina by the Mountain Express.

The race supports local land conservation and new public trails — protecting more places like Bearwallow Mountain and public access.

Registration is $35 through Thursday, and late registration will be from 11 to 1:30 p.m. on race day. For more information contact Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy at 697-5777 or go to bearwallowbeast.com.

<p>Arden's Aaron Saft, owner of Foot Rx and a past winner of the Morris Broadband Half Marathon at DuPont State Forest, headlines this year's runners who will be competing in Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy's Bearwallow Beast Trail Run on Sunday at Bearwallow Mountain.</p><p>Other elite runners expected to participate are Peyton Hoyal and former North Henderson High standout Shiloh Mielke, who finished runner-up in last year's race.</p><p>Asheville's Matt Morse won last year's race in a time of 23 minutes, 8 seconds, and Mielke was close behind with a time of 24:47. In third place last year was Hendersonville's David Workman, who won this year's Morris Broadband Half Marathon at DuPont on April 20.</p><p>Close to 400 runners are expected to compete on Sunday.</p><p>The 5K run is also part of the Bearwallow Beast Festival, which will feature local food and beverages and live local bluegrass music by Brushfire Stankgrass, which will be performing atop Bearwallow Mountain at the finish line.</p><p>Admission to the festival is free. Food vendors will be Sweet Monkey Bakery & Gypsy Queen and local beers by Sierra Nevada and Southern Appalachian Brewery. Festival-goers are asked to bring proper ID to purchase beer and cash, check or credit card to purchase raffle tickets, food and Bearwallow Beast apparel.</p><p>The festival will begin at 1:30 p.m., and the race will start at 2. Brushfire Stankgrass will begin performing at 2:30 p.m. and will play throughout the race. The Kids Fun Run will start at approximately 3:20 p.m.</p><p>The trail for the 5K race gains 1,400 feet in elevation and is a mix of pavement, gravel and single-track trail. The final 600 feet of gain comes in the final ¾ mile before the finish line.</p><p>In its first year of running last year, it was voted one of the three best trail races in Western North Carolina by the Mountain Express.</p><p>The race supports local land conservation and new public trails — protecting more places like Bearwallow Mountain and public access.</p><p>Registration is $35 through Thursday, and late registration will be from 11 to 1:30 p.m. on race day. For more information contact Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy at 697-5777 or go to bearwallowbeast.com.</p>